Having won three of its last four, the Camp Verde High School baseball team was given a reality check Saturday, April 2, losing to Northwest Christian High School, 13-1.

Gavin Collins toed the mound Saturday looking to shut down the high-powered Northwest Christian lineup, and did so through the first four innings, but the Cowboys fell apart late in the tough defeat.

“We made little mistakes like throwing away pick-off plays. We couldn’t make a play. We did hit it hard offensively, but we hit it right at them,” second-year Camp Verde Head Coach Steve Hicks said.

Collins had seven strikeouts and gave up one hit through the first four innings as his team trailed 2-0. The Crusaders made it 4-0 after the bottom of the fifth and from then on, it got ugly for Camp Verde.

“Northwest fielded the ball well. They made some great plays,” Hicks said.

With the loss, the Cowboys drop their regular season record to 10-8 overall this season.

On Thursday, March 31, Camp Verde was coming off another tough defeat at the hands of rival Sedona Red Rock High School [5-1] just two days earlier, but pulled things together to beat Northland Preparatory Academy, 14-3.

In the top of the first inning in Flagstaff, center fielder Cody Rayburn got a base hit to lead things off, then was moved to second on a walk by Jesse Fullbright. One pitch later, it was 3-0 Cowboys as junior catcher Andy Minner hit a three-run bomb to put his teammates up for good.

With an early 3-0 lead, the Cowboys didn’t pack it in, as Austin Bower walked and Tanner Rezzonico stepped to the plate and made it 5-0 Camp Verde with another towering home run with two strikes.

“It was 5-0 before you knew it. Our first five batters scored five runs for us,” Hicks said with a big smile.

From then on, it was smooth sailing for the Cowboys who were led by Fullbright on the mound, going four innings while allowing only one earned run on two hits and two walks.

Lobaugh came in to pitch the bottom of the fifth, closing the deal on Northland Preparatory for a Cowboys victory.

Minner was 2-2 with a home run and three RBIs while Rezzonico was 2-3 with the home run as well. Bower was 2-3 with a walk and two runs scored.

Camp Verde was in action again Tuesday, April 5, when the Cowboys traveled north to Williams High School. Results were unavailable at press time.Camp Verde beat Williams in an early season matchup March 8.

Next up, the Cowboys will play host to Tonopah Valley High School on Friday, April 8. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.